Apparatus for reforming and forming rail end balls



A. E. HlLL May 8; 1945.

APPARATUS FOR REFORMING AND FORMING RAIL END BALLS Original Filed Nov. '7, 1939 I INVENTOR- 6/2" flail;

ATTORNEY.

effective function: ofthe apparatus- Patented Maya, 1945 UNITED STAT-1E "iupmmsmn REFORMYINLGLAND v FORMING ,RAILEND. BALLS Albert EQHill, Detroit,'-Mich. I

i Crigin alapplicationrNovemher 7, 1939,.S eria1 Ni 0. 303,269. Divided and this application February 4,1943, Serial No. 474,710

Moi-aims.

' v=This invention is directed tofta n apparatus for restoring wornor deformed rail .ends totheend that both sides of the railsmay accurately serve asthe gauge side and so that-the fishing heights are closed and equalized, l i

This application, is filed 1 as a division of "my application, vfiled November 'l, 1939, 1Serial number'303,269, now issued asPatentnNo. .2,3l3,034,

dated.March 2, 1943. v v, v The improved apparatus is designed for sexpeditious and convenient assembly .With i and operation with respect; toheated: rail ends, to insure remain zsuflioiently heated. i i a It has. been heretofore, proposed to remedygthe worn rail ends by pressing a recess through the llu whiletherails ballvof the rail'at each rail end; 'Ihis method,

however, resulted inclosing .the: fishing height of the rails directly against new splice bars andin an: attempt to skew the. gauge. sides of the: rails straight and recess the opposite side. This method proved objectionable for, in heating the rail ends for recessing and forcing the lower faces of the rails into contact with the splice bars, the

rial ends shrunk andthe sp1ice2bars,-and-railend balls, were not in bearingcontact.

"Itis important in an apparatus-of this type that the rail ends be-not deformed to an extent to unfit the rails for reversal; as frequently necessary to presentnew'gauge sides,- and'furthermore; the metal of therail ends at theirextreme'margins should remain intact to -avoid disturbing thefiberof the grain of the metal'to avoid-any o possibility of the rail ball splitting onthelineof the swaged'indication." I 3 A primary object of the inventioni is" therefore, to'restore worm ordeformed' rail balls air-adjacent end portions to insure that both sides of the rails may accurately serve as Y gauge sides, "and" that the fishing'heights of therails arePclosed'and equalized; l I

A'further object of the 'invetnion is in;providing a result whereinthejload stresses are removed from the extreme rail 'endsitotherebyfincrease fully utilized, while the danger, or rail-end, SDlit ting is avoided.

The invention is illustrated in thefacc'o'mp any; ing drawing, which:

Fig. ,1.is a perspectivetview;partly insection,

,Fig. 3 isa fragmental transversesectional view,

thecompletion lowing-the swaging operation. v .-Fig. 8 isa horizontal-sectionalview, taken sub- .stant-iall-y on;the line 6-1 6, of'-1 ig..2. i v

The improved apparatus, forming l the subjec o fithis invention, comprisesapair of lower anvils l .30, beyondveach of which is arranged. a bracket ;3l,-connected.in laterallyrspaced relation-to-zthe adj acent :anvil by spaced pins 13 2; p the relatively inner ;-ends of which are :threaded or otherwise connected to the anvil, and whichqhavemouter headed endsrextending through; apertures; inthe bracket. V a V i H .-A":we.dging-:bolt 33 is carriedpby'and adjacent V eachcend-qof each bracket ;3l-: the a'wedging bolts .beingtpinnedto the bracket :at. 34. The wedging bolts r-aresarranged beyond the pins 32 and at their inner ends. pass: through openingsz35 in the anvi1s-r3ll The openings 35 inhtheanvil iwregisterpwhenzthe. apparatus; is in operative position,

with conventional. bolt holes in the web of; the: rail R; and springs 36,Jcoiled l loosely on the'we'dging :b'olts bear-between thefanvils' :30 iand t'he bracket .31. This construction isillustrated more particularly in Figs 2 and 8.

An upper anvil 31, is arr with the ball of the rail-R, and is'shaped to ov'erlie and-more or: less conform to the shape of the l rail ball, having=relatively heavy side Walls dethe strength of the splicejbars thatfsuchmavf'be showing vthe improved apparatus in ..cooperative engagement witharail. Y ,1 Fig.2 is a view inend elevation partlyin sec tion,-.on,the1ine.l0- l 0.ofiEigMlr pending belowthe sides of the rail bal1, as; shown in -Fig.- 2; "This upper anvil isdesigne'd to -cooperate with thelower anvils to confine the flow of .metal in" the operation of the apparatus to proper areas.

"The upper anvil 31" is:connected with the lower anvil supporting brackets-'3]- through the medium of a rigid, preferably integral iii) '38 extending ongitudinally of the upper surface of theupper 1 anvil',,with such 'rib provided with longitudinally.

spaced laterally .arranged lugs '39. Thelugsi' 39 extendfaboveand beyond .the rib138', and overlie and arerigidgpreferahly integral with thejupper ingedfor cooperation surface, and sides of the upper anvil 31. The lugs 39 are formed to provide longitudinally :alined top pivot ears 40 and side pivot ears 4|, respectively receiving pivot pins 42 and 43. The lora'ckets 3| are each provided with 'pivot' ears 44, in vertical register with the side pivot ears 4! of the lugs 39. I

A rocker arm 41 is' rigid with the pivot pm being centrally fixed to such pin and arranged between the ears 4!). A manually-operable lever handle 48 is secured to one end ofthe pivot pin 42, to provide foroperatingthe-rocker arm- 41;;

; Vertically disposed levers 46 are pivotally mount; t ed at their lower ends on pins 45, passing through the ears 44. of the brackets 3l, such levers 46 being further pivotallymounted on pins 43,-which as tated, are carried by the ears 4| of the lugsheated rail :cools. The desired purpose here is t that the' reforrned rail willbe correctly finished for the application of the old splice bars,'even in worn condition; I

,The spacing plates 60 which are arranged between the ends of adjacent railsand also between the respective apparatusof the present invention, serve to prevent'fiow of'metal during operationand also such plates forma stop to {properly position and locate the improved apparatus.

After positioning the apparatus, as described,

7 and if desired during operative movement of the 39. The upper ends of the levers 46 are con-jnected by links 49 with the adjacent'ends, of the rocker arm 41.

The upper anvil3l is formed atthe forward edge of the surface in contact with the rail ball lever 48, a light blow is given the upper surface of the upper anvil, preferably on an impact' exptension carried by such upper anvil. This compels "a-move'm'en't of the upper anvil, serving to reform the upper surface of the rail ball, and

particularly'the beveled end of such ball, indicated at H, Fig. 1. The'swagin'g tools 52 are then forced forwar'dtoward the rail ball, preferably by blows delivered on the tool heads 53,

with a cut-away or beveled face 50, serving in v operation of the apparatus, to form a beveled complementary formation'in the extreme edge of the'upper portion of the ball of the 'rail R, as

clearly shown in Fig-1. 1 1

swaging tools are mounted for movement'at right an'gles1to-the sides of the ball of the rail, said tools'servingtofo'rm" ineach side of the rail balla limited and specifically disposed recess, in-ldicated at in-Fig il/ The swaging tools are preferably formed 'as rectangular'plates of appropriate thickness, shown'at 52; having an enlarged driving head 53, andare each formed on the v edge next the railballwith 'a forming projection 58,"appropriately' formed and positioned to formthe desired recesses I U'in the rail ball. The swagingtools are mounted for support in an appropriately-formedopening 54in the side plates of 'the upper anvil 31 ',f'a-' pin 56, pinned to the upper anvil at 51, passing through such anvil and 'Wedging tool. a t 1 In the use of th'ex'apparatus, one complete assembly is arranged on the ends of adjacent rails R, a spacingplate fillof appropriate -thick-- mass for. railspacing between such rail ends be} ing positionedlth'erebetween,'as shown in Fig. 6. The rail'sl are initially; heated [to the required degree, and following the application of the ap-- paratusqdisposed as described, the handle or handles 4B,are movedlfroma normal horizontal position to a, verticalposition, The lower ends of the levers 4,6 are thus moved toward each other by. the operation of 'therocker arm '41 through the links 49, causingthe brackets 3| to be forced toward the adjacent rail web against the tension of the springs 36. The weclging bolts move into lapping relation with the conventional holes in the rail,web,,and as these bolts move through slightly-enlarged holes in 'thelower anvil, such wedging boltmovementforces the lower anvils i into engagement with thebase flanges of the rail.

The lower anvil s are of fishing height of the rails and,,i ncident to the'pressureofrthe springs 36,

the upper anvil and ultimately-provides projec- I tions' 6|; Fig. 1, to 1 define l the proper. fishing.

forcing the projections-48 into the metal of the rail ball, which by reason of the heated condition is forced to flow or be'dispersed, the displacement being limitedbythe sides of the upper anvil, the lower anvils'flll, and the plate I, The displacement of the metal is' limited by height of the rail. -The-fiow of metal in form.- ing the recess in 'therail end is limitedin the downward direction, and-provides a small section of metal which isthu compacted or moved into a position where the rolling impact on the rail end is the greatest.

By locating the recess In with relation to the depending projections 6|, sothat the ends of suchrecesses and projections at the ends of the same remote fromthe rail end are in substantial alignment, and extending the opposite end of' the recesses "beyond the proximate-end of the projection, while still'maintaining the end of the recess inwardly of the extreme rail end, an important advantage isgained; In use the greatest load stress on the rail is not, onthe end fiber a of the rail web. By having a'small zone of metal on the end of the railweb between the beginning and end of the stress section; the strengthof the 7 splice bar is increasedand the danger of splitting I the web and-breakingofi apiece thereof at the end of the ball by progressive fractures starting at theend of the avoided,

web is practically completely The construction describedlis described in substantial detail in accordance with preferred ar-' rangement. Obviously, varriations of structure and the use; of mechanically, e'equiva'lent parts, leading to the defined result may'bje used without departing from the spirit of the present invention,

and any and all suchvariations, as fall within the scope of theappended; claims aregc'ontemplated as withinthe invention defined.

For example, in the'ab'ove' connection, while itQis' ,understoodf'that the recesses' 'inth rail ball formed by theswa'g'in'g tco1s shallno't'extendto the proximate end ofthe ball, "it is apparent that the depth of the recess, so long as it"doesnot extend through the rail ball, aswell as its'outline form can be arranged with particular regard tothe requirements of the particular job, and that correspondingly the form of' the swaging-tool projection can be correspondingly;shaped,-as required; Again -the obvious necessit'yof meeting different fishing heights relative to womor replaced splice bars, will necessitate adjustment in the position and relation of the lower anvils; These details are fairly included variations, seeking to accommodate the apparatus to substantiallyany worn construction that may be sought to be corrected, and that any and all such variations are merely mechanical changes within the present disclosure to secure the desired result.

What is claimed as new, is:

1. Anapparatus of the class described, including an upper anvil, lower anvils, brackets arranged outwardly of the lower anvils,'means carried by the brackets for supporting the lower anvils, and manually-operable means carried by the upper anvil and connected to the brackets for forcing the latter and thereby the lower anvils in an operative direction.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein means are provided for guiding the lower anvils in operative movement tocompel a relative predetermined lowering of such anvils.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper anvil is designed to cooperate with the ball of a rail, and wherein swaging tools are mounted in the upper anvil in predetermined re lation to the lower anvils.

4. An apparatus of the type described, including an upper anvil, lower anvils, brackets s1idably supporting the lower anvils, and means for supporting the brackets from the upper anvil, said means being operable to compel movement of the brackets and thereby of the lower anvils in a predetermined direction.

5. An apparatus of the type described including an upper anvil formed to fit over the ball '7. An apparatus of the type described, including an upper anvil, lower anvils, brackets supporting the lower anvils, swaging tools removably carried by the upper'anvil, means for operating the brackets and thereby the lower anvils relative to' the upper anvil, and rail-ball end forming means on the upper anvil.

8. A construction as defined in claim 13, whereoopposite' sides of a rail web, an upper anvil for operatively cooperating with the lower anvils for moving the lower anvils toward and from the rail A construction as defined in claim 9, where- I cooperation with the rail ball, swaging means slidably supported by the upper anvil, and wedg ing elements supported by the upper anvil and movable relative thereto, said wedging elements web.

in springs are provided for forcing the lower anvils into yielding contact with the rail web, and wherein bolts are provided to cooperate with the lower anvils and with the conventional bolt holes in the rail web to force the lower anvils toward the base flanges of the rail.v

11. A construction as defined in claim 9, wherein the swaging means carry impact heads at one endand recess-forming projections at the other, and wherein the upper anvil is formed to provide a bevel on the ball end in operation.

12. An apparatus of the type described, including a pair of lower anvils to be disposed at opposite sides of arail web, a bracket arranged laterally of each anvil and slidably connected therewith, an upper anvil arranged in cooperative relation with the top and sides of the rail ball, a rib integral with the upper anvil, and manuallyoperable connections between the rib and brackets and thereby the lower anvils relative to the 3 5 rail web.

13. A construction as defined in claim 12, wherein the manually-operable connections comprise a rocker arm pivotally supported by the rib, a lever for operating said rocker arm, levers pivot- 4 ally connected at their lower ends to the brackets,

said levers being pivotally supported intermediate their ends by the rib, and connections between the upper ends of the levers and the rocker arm.

14. A construction as defined in claim 12, where in the manually-operable connections comprise a rocker arm pivotally supported by the rib, a lever ALBERT E. HILL- 

